All
right, let see…ummm…I think that there are approximately three to five chapters
left for this story. It might change
though; I'm not very sure. Anyway, I'm
very excited to end this (not that I want it to end or anything) because I
never actually ended anything. Am I
stalling? All right, nothing belongs to me; they all belong to J.K.
Rowling. Here's Chapter 24…
Chapter
24
**************
The next day, Harry barely stayed away through most of his classes. Twice he was nudged awake by Ron to avoid trouble from the teachers. In Transfiguration, which was the last class of that afternoon, Professor Mcgonagall was just telling the Gryffindors about the O.W.L.s.
"You're are about to take your O.W.L.s
during the last day of your exams before you leave for the summer. I trust that all of you are either preparing
or are prepared to take this test that will eventually determine your status in
your magical education. I hope that
you are all taking this warning seriously, right, Mr. Potter?" she called
to Harry, who was drowsing off.
"Huh? Er, right, Professor Mcgonagall," he
said off-guardedly. Seamus and Dean
sniggered.
"Then what did I just say?" she
snapped.
"Er…" As if on cue, the bell rang. "Save by the bell," he muttered. Everyone was packing up his or her things to
head to the Great Hall. When Harry,
Ron, and Hermione were at the door, Professor Mcgonagall called out to
Harry.
"The Headmaster wants to see you,
Potter." Harry looked at Ron, who
looked at him back confused.
"We'll see you at the Great Hall," said
Hermione. Harry followed Professor
Mcgonagall to the Headmaster's office. She gave the password and they went up to his office, whose door stood
ajar.
"…But I am quite there. Just a couple more
days should do it…" he heard someone say.
"I am sorry, Briana. There's nothing more I can do. Cornelius Fudge is already very strict about
me meddling with Ministry affairs. We
have to go with them. It says here that
two aurors will pick up the duplicate day after tomorrow. Now, you still have time to-"
"They just can't. I'm a member of-" Professor Mcgonagall cleared her throat and
they all fell silent.
"Oh, Minerva, thank you," said Professor
Dumbledore. Professor Sullivan smiled
at Harry and turned to Dumbledore.
"I will come back, shall I?" she asked
him. Dumbledore nodded. She then turned to leave, winking at Harry
as she went. Professor Mcgonagall also
left. Dumbledore offered him a seat in
front of his desk.
"So…I have heard your scar has hurt last
night," he said.
"Er, yes, sir," he answered. "How did you know?"
"Well, as you saw, I was talking to your
Professor Sullivan. Now, I have to ask
you, Harry, who was the servant?"
"I don't remember, Professor," he
replied. He couldn't remember half of
the things that happened in his dream.
"Hmm…" Dumbledore said thoughtfully. They fell silent for a moment.
"Two aurors will pick up the Fat Lady's
portrait the day after tomorrow?" Harry asked.
"Yes, but it is the duplicate. The real one will be restored and be put
back at the Gryffindor Tower," Dumbledore replied. "Is there anything else you
would like to tell me?" Harry shook his hand and he was entirely truthful about
this.
"Well, in that case, if there's anything at
all you would like to tell me, don't hesitate to come here." With that, Harry left the Headmaster's
office.
A
day has past when Harry received a reply from Sirius. He told Harry that if his scar had hurt again, he should either
tell Dumbledore or Professor Sullivan. He also reminded Harry of his promise to stay in Hogwarts after school
hours. Harry felt relieved that he had gotten an answer from Sirius.
That
night, after quidditch practice, Harry and Ron went up to the entrance hall and
found two visitors there with the Headmaster and Professor Sullivan.
"That's probably the aurors you were talking
about, Harry," muttered Ron. After his
visit to the Headmaster, Harry had told Ron and Hermione everything about what
Professor Sullivan and Dumbledore said. They crept slowly up to the stairs, but when Ron stubbed his foot on the
stairs and swore loudly, the four spotted them.
"Ah, Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, another fine
practice I assume?" called Professor Dumbledore, smiling.
"Why don't you two come here?" called
Professor Sullivan, she seemed relieved to see them. So Harry and Ron had no choice but to approach them. "Maria, Jack, these are just a couple of my
students here, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. Ron, Harry, this is Maria Costello and Jack Griffin. They are aurors from the Ministry."
"Nice to meet you."
"Hello."
"They are here on a special task," explained
Dumbledore. "Why don't you two come to
my office first for tea?"
"Well, I suppose we can first. But it would be better if we take a look at
the portrait," said Maria Costello. Harry noticed that she look exactly like how she looked when she was at
Hogwarts, only taller. She had long
black hair that was keep in a plait.
"Yes, Maria is right. We can't take to long because we have other
things to do," said Jack Griffin. He
was a tall man with dark red hair and dark green eyes.
"All right, if that is how you feel, then
Briana, will you take them to your office?" said Dumbledore. She nodded and gestured them to follow
her.
"Well, it was nice meeting you two," Maria
said warmly. They left with Professor
Dumbledore. Harry and Ron looked at
each other and followed them quietly towards Professor Sullivan's office. On their way, they bumped into Hermione, who
just come from the library.
"There you are! I have been looking all over
for you two. Is practice done?" she
asked.
"Ssh!" said Ron, as he pulled her to the
side.
"What? What is going on?" asked Hermione
sternly. Harry explained to her what
they saw at the entrance hall and the reason why they were following the
adults. "But this is against the
rules! We could get in trouble!"
"Oh, come on, Hermione. You know you want to find out why they are
here too," said Ron.
They
waited around the corner of the corridor for about fifteen minutes. Then they heard Professor Sullivan arguing
loudly.
"But, all I am asking is that you give me
more time with it!"
"Annie, I am truly sorry but I cannot do
that. The Minister, he specifically
ordered us to take it to London for further investigations. I am sorry." The two visitors stormed out of the office carrying the frame
with them. Dumbledore closely followed
them.
"Why don't you two come to my office for
tea?"
"Yes, that would be best."
"I swear, she starting to become more and
more like Alastor himself," said Maria irritably.
Harry,
Ron, Hermione hid themselves behind the corner and waited till they left
towards the second floor. They then
went to Professor Sullivan's office. They found her tidying up.
"Hello, what can I do for you?" her voice
sounded as if she was trying to calm down.
"Professor, is that the same Maria Costello
you went to school with?" asked Ron, helping her with tidying up.
"Yes, I believe so," she said. Then she sighed. "Maria and I have never actually seen each other since…since
fifteen years ago. She hasn't change
much."
"Professor, can I ask you something?" asked
Harry.
"Sure, go ahead."
"Whatever happened to Samantha Abberton?"
Professor
Sullivan put her things down and sat on her chair behind her desk. She looked as though she was trying to
figure out what to say. "I don't exactly
know what happened to her. The day your
parents died, she just disappeared. Remus and I tried to find her, but it was no use. I don't know if she's still alive or not."
"So she just disappeared?" asked
Hermione. "But why?"
"I don't know, Hermione, I don't know. It still bothers me to think of the reasons
why. It's either she's out there or
not." They were silent for a
moment. Harry tried to imagine what
happened. He imagined Remus and Briana
finding an empty flat with no note or anything.
"Well, I think you three should go back to
your common room. I can handle things right here."
They
said good-bye to her and left towards the Gryffindor Tower.
Okay, this chapter was really hard to write. I suffered writer's block again. Please leave a review. Trust me the next chapters would be a lot better. Thank you!
